There was no denying the Los Angeles Rams’ need at tight end. With Tyler Higbee getting up there in age and Colby Parkinson in a backup role, the team opted to trade out of the first round and draft Oregon TE Terrance Ferguson with the 46th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The move quickly drew praise from the former three-time Pro Bowl tight end Greg Olsen, who appeared on Steve Smith Sr.’s YouTube channel to break down why Ferguson could be a game-changer for the Rams.
Greg Olsen on Terrance Ferguson: ‘Win of a Lifetime’
GettySecond-round pick Terrance Ferguson is seen by many as a fantastic selection by the Rams.
An athletic specimen with a 9.32 Relative Athletic Score (RAS), Ferguson averaged 9.0 yards after the catch per reception in 2024, which ranked the most among all FBS tight ends with 30+ receptions.
Olsen commented on Ferguson’s versatility and fit in the Rams’ offense, saying, “He’s kind of that bigger body, reliable, super versatile, all of the misdirection, all the play action, the under center stuff that they’re gonna do. Like, he’s a really good fit for that. And listen, if what you’re saying is true and they were gonna take him in the first round, then this is the win of a lifetime.”
The beautiful part of all of this is that Ferguson is stepping into a situation where his head coach will know how to utilize him to the fullest extent. Olsen and Smith talked about how when head coach Sean McVay falls in love with a player, he falls hard. This was that player. The Rams would have been ecstatic drafting him in the first round, and now that they got Ferguson in the second along with a first-round pick in 2026, it’s all smiles in Los Angeles.
The System Matters
GettyTerrance Ferguson’s potential is limitless with Sean McVay running the offense.
What makes Ferguson’s landing spot even more exciting is the offensive system he’s stepping into. Olsen and Smith noted how Oregon’s offense shares many similarities with McVay’s offense, which should ease his transition to the NFL.
“He’s talented. He comes from a premier program. And when you can put talented guys into a Sean McVay system, he has shown for a long time now, that even if they’re not the most heralded, they’re not the number one overall pick. I mean, Puka Nacua was a great college player…so there’s a lot of elements to where you play. But having said all of that, if you’re a real football player and you’re talented and you go in there and you buy into what Sean McVay is going to ask you to do, he should have the ability to have guys have a lot of success.”
Olsen knows that Ferguson isn’t expected to become the next Brock Bowers or Travis Kelce, but his potential is undeniable. More importantly, he landed in the perfect environment to maximize that potential.
A major factor in determining a player’s success, besides their talent, is the system they play in. Ferguson has shown on tape that he has what it takes to become an elite tight end in the NFL, and he should be excited to step into a McVay-led offense.
